The Avengers are an elite Marvel Comics superhero team that first appeared in The Avengers Vol. 1, #1, 1963.

Also known as "Earth’s Mightiest Heroes", the Avengers originally consisted of Ant-Man, Wasp, Thor, Iron Man, and the Hulk, all of whom were popular, established superheroes. Almost from inception, however, the roster has been fluid, with the Hulk departing and Captain America joining. The rotating roster has become a hallmark of the team, although one theme has been constant: the Avengers fight the foes that no single superhero could withstand - hence their famous cry of "Avengers Assemble!" To that end, the team has featured humans; robots; gods; aliens; supernatural beings and even former villains. Despite the diverse nature of the team (which often resulted in squabbling), the Avengers have always managed to unite into a cohesive unit to combat extraordinary threats.